Harvard University’s endowment is buying up vineyards in California’s wine country, and the water rights

Harvard is using a wholly owned subsidiary named Brodiaea after the scientific name for the cluster lily —to buy vineyards. They have bought 10,000 acres in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties for about $60 million, according to an earlier report by Reuters. Harvard Crimson has indicated that they have bought even more land in California. They have targeted vineyards with ground water access. Water rights and uses are becoming prime needs for California’s central valley after long drought years. Some aquifers have reach critical levels. Antelope Valley is an area where water is at a premium. If you’re within the city limits than you may not have a problem other that higher rates from municipalities. If you have water rights in LA County with water shares to Mutual water companies, or a well on the property then you are in good hands. Harvard sees something in this area to invest over $60 million in California land. If you don’t have water rights or access than this investment maybe something to consider. Harvard being liberal minded takes into account global warming in their investments, but water access doesn’t need warming. Water is a commodity and maybe worth more than gold as the state grows in population. While some local farmers say they aren’t worried about Harvard’s purchases of vineyards, others—as well

Lancaster California Allows for some Medical Cannabis Cultivation Facilities.

Back in February of 2016, The city of Lancaster generally prohibits the operation of Medical Marijuana dispensaries. The Lancaster Municipal Code now allows medical cannabis to be cultivated only in secured, enclosed, and ventilated structures. The city enforces the cultivation not be visible in order to prevent negative impacts and health and safety measures. The cultivation is solely for medical purposes and it prohibits recreational dispensaries. This change in the ordinance went into effect January of 2017. Each category requires a separate license. The prospective licensee must apply with the purpose and intent to only cultivate marijuana for medical purposes. A cannabis cultivation facility means plants are propagated, grown, harvested, dried, cured, tagged and labeled for tracking. A dispensary license is for procurement, sale, and transport. A cannabis facility is for production of the cannabis for concentrate indirectly or by extraction methods by the means of chemical synthesis or combination of. Licensees can lose their license if they violate any or numerous laws and regulations that are in effect in Lancaster via this changed ordinance. Regarding land and agricultural cultivation: The legal parcel means a parcel of land with legal title. Multiple contiguous parcels can be counted as a single parcel for the purpose of cultivation. Each prospect will have to undergo a conditional use permit and process. The grower will have to supply an environmental report in accordance with local and state laws. This may include a description of source of power, verification, and water source. There are a number of barriers a licensee will need to cross, but once all are met it green go. Some of these barriers may include background check for criminal records, video surveillance, floor plans, general description of the product and service, third parties involvement. Of these video surveillance, back up and alarm systems, illumination in evening hours all seem to be very important to the city. The location must also operate as a business with prohibition of consumption on the premises and standard business practices like disability access, public toilets adequate insurance, posted signs, list of employee names, age, date of birth, residential addresses and phone numbers, odor filtration systems and many more regulations. So in order to get in the medical or recreational marijuana business will take time and can be costly.